Which Ric model is the best for BEAD tuning?

anoukane · Post by **anoukane** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 5:53 am

Im in love with my Ric 4001, but in my main band the low B has an important role. I really like the Ric tone and i was wondering if there is a 5 string Ric which has a tight low B string. Is the 4003/5 any good? I dont mind a tight string spacing, but i dont play with a pick. Or is the 4004/5 an option? Or is it also impossible to tune a 4001 to BEAD?
Thanks in advance and apologies for my ****** English.

teeder · Post by **teeder** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 6:00 am

Very timely question. I've been thinking about a Rick with BEAD tuning also.

anoukane · Post by **anoukane** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 6:12 am

Yeah. But doesn't get the B string all floppy because of the scale length? And would the B string also have that nice Ric growl? Anyway don't really need to ask that, because i can try it myself

david_schwab · Post by **david_schwab** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 6:23 am

A well designed B string should work fine on a Ric... they aren't that much shorter.

I don't buy into this stuff where you need a 35 or 36" scale length for a low B.

I play 34" basses and use D'Addario EXL170-5 - Regular Light strings with the .130 B, and it sounds great. One of the best low B's I've heard... nice and tight and punchy and bright, like the low E.

On the other had the GHS Boomers 5 string has the worst low B I've tried. Really loose and floppy and dull.

So you should be able to put the bottom 4 strings of a 5 string set on a Ric and it will sound fine.

Any 5 string Ric users here with string recommendations?

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 6:29 am

I tried BEAD on a 73 4001 and it had bad fret buzz ... that may have been due to the heavy guage strings ... the 4003s5 is a wonderful bass but the stock string spacing is 2 1/16" which makes finger playing a little cumbersome ... I always modify the 4003s5 bass by putting in replacement saddles and cutting the grooves to a 2 1/4" spacing ... that makes it finger friendly ... the 4004CII5 is a wonderful instrument as well it is very finger friendly but the pickups are not quite wide enough to cover all 5 strings ... the pickups are currently being redesigned ...

incubus2432 · Post by **incubus2432** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 7:17 am

I currently have a 4004Ci tuned BEAD and I have had a 4003 strung the same. The string tension and tone is/was excellent on both. Being a finger player I have found the 4003s5 to be spaced too tightly for my liking. I have yet to try a 4004Cii5 so I can't really comment and I have no experience with BEAD tuning on a 4001......it's the same scale so with the right strings you should get similar results.

blueflamerick · Post by **blueflamerick** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 7:43 am

A 2030 would be a good candidate. I have one of mine tuned CGCF and haven't had any problems.

rikk · Post by **rikk** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 7:44 am

I had a 4001 tuned to BEAD. It played fine, but I now use a hipshot.

rickfan60 · Post by **rickfan60** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 8:22 am

I agree with Jeff that the 4003S/5 is a great bass. The string spacing is a bit tight but I manage to play it in it's stock configuration. I got used to it in about a week of regular playing.

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 8:55 am

I tuned a 2030 BEAD and it was fine I would think a 4003 would be fine ... my old 4001 might have worked if I had used different strings ... I really like 5 stings on a bass ... I like the low B and the high G ... as many of you know that's why I convert 4 string basses to 5 string ... www.3dentourage.com/425 the basic 4003, 2030, 2020, and 4004 4 string basses all make good 5 string basses because they are well built 4 string basses ...

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 8:58 am

the best scale length for a 5 string is 35" ... most 5 strings are 34" ... but the 33 1/2" of a Ric is acceptable ... in other words the B string is not dead and floppy ...

sabbath_of_bass · Post by **sabbath_of_bass** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 10:17 am

Jeffs probly the man to ask there. 5 string ric god or whatever you wish to call him haha. Iv never tryed the BEAD tuning.... But I would think it would make me mad cause no G. But then again theres the fact that you may be more comfortable with only 4 strings. How hard is it to get a 4 string tunded BEAD tho? Is it just Nut and Bridge work or is there more to it?

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 10:40 am

BEAD EADG or 5 string ... there is no right or wrong ... it is your bass do what suits you best ... I used to tune a jazz bass DGCF and I saw Geddy play a jazz tuned DGCF ... that worked until I needed a low D flat!!!

one of the reasons I really like the 5 string bass is for my left hand the strings are closer together and I can play faster and cleaner as a result ... plus I have some lower notes ...

rickenbrother · Post by **rickenbrother** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 10:40 am

Before I had my 4003S/5, that Jeff Rath convinced me that I'd adapt to (and I'm glad I took his advise), I tuned my '73 4001 and my '79 4001 to BEAD. They both performed fine tuned that way. I use .130 gauge B strings on all my 5 string basses and any 4 string bass I tune to BEAD.
The fact that the 4000 series basses have the neck-through design and made with high quality maple helps the B string sound very well.
I don't buy into that 35" string is better either. It's the design of the bass and the choice of string gauge that matters most. My Ibanez BTB QM405 has a 35" scale, it has a very nice B, but I wouldn't say it was better than the B strings oF my 4003S/5 or either Cii5 or my StringRay5's. The 35" scale will give you faster hand fatigue with, unless you have very large hands.
If you decide to BEAD one of your Rick basses, you will have to widen the slots in the nut to fit the wider strings and then do a bit of intonation correction.
If you then decide to go back to standard tuning, you might have the strings rattle in the nut when you play open strings, needing the nut to be replaced, or modified.

david_schwab · Post by **david_schwab** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 11:12 am

I played a Modulus Quantum 5 with a 35" scale... I hated it. It was hard to reach the nut, uncomfortable to play (and I don't have small hands) and really didn't sound any better than my 34" 5.